Gateshead dog needs your help!

Hello, I'm trying to get in touch with people (and their dogs!) who live in the Gateshead area. We have a little terrier mix called Ginger, we got her from the Newcastle Cat and Dog Shelter just over a year ago, she is around 1 year and 10 months now.
For the past 10 months, we have been struggling to help her overcome her fear of other dogs, we are training with a behaviorist and doing all of the right things but what we really need is to meet as many non reactive dogs as possible.

Taking her out in Saltwell park an helping her associate dogs with fun etc can only work up to a point, we need to get close to people and their dogs so she can see that they are not a threat, she does bark/screech/snarl at dogs to warn them off as she is terrified, if we could only get a bit closer without owners backing off, she would see that her barking does not scare the dogs off and also that other dogs are great!

If you live in the area and think you could/would like to help, or you know someone who might like to help please contact me - we are running out of ideas/money/optimism, I love this dog to bits but we need to make some more progress.

Thanks!

Hi GingerDog! I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with this.

Can you tell us a bit more about the training and 'all of the right things'? I don't doubt what your dog behaviourist is training. It would be good to know more about it and to see from what other angles this issue can be approached.

ps. I take it, you don't have friends who have dogs?

We are trying to help Ginger understand that seeing other dogs, even at a distance = good things for her like playtime with her favourite toy/treats/attention from us, any time she looks at a dog but keeps focussed on us she is rewarded, we play with her near other dogs, close enough that she can see them but not so close that she is freaked out and over her threshold.



What is frustrating is that I KNOW she can get along with other dogs, it just takes a little longer, She gets on brilliantly and very much like a normal dog with my Mams Boxer, they share a bed when I visit, play together etc, she has met her many times and thinks nothing of her now, it's just a fun day out.

We met up with my boyfriends sisters Chocolate Lab, started out just walking across the street from him, going backwards and forwards until Ginger could walk past him without whining, over a few meetings we gradually got closer until Eureka! they were sniffing each other and now go on walkies as if they've always been friends.

We managed to get in touch with a Jack Russell owner who was keen to help, and have had a few walks around the park with them too, starting out at a distance and getting closer as Ginger is ready, resulting in quiet, calm sitting next to each other.

We have even managed to work with a Border Terrier who barks around new dogs, again, after several meetings, we had them walking side by side.

We just need more of this, I am fully aware of the pace we need to go at and that we still have a very long road ahead of us but we need that chance to walk past dogs regularly in a controlled meeting, once or twice a week practicing these techniques as well as just playing with dogs in her eyeline, getting her to focus on us rather than them.

And no, our friends don't have dogs, one has a hamster, we have ran out of new dogs to train with.

hiya, i have similar troubles with my dog.

local professional dogwalkers have been a real help, they let me tag along, by prior arrangement, or if i happen to turn up for a walk at the same time as them..

luckily my dog is no fool and will approach a whole pack of dogs calmly, so this is ideal for helping him to meet other dogs. might be worth a ring round to see if they will let you join them on a walk,

good luck!